Safety door-fastener.



P. H. L. KNABE. SAFETY DOOR FASTBNER. APPLICATION FILED APR.11, 1913.

1,087,590. Patnted Feb. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES: Frederic/r HL-ffnabe' ZW W BY I g) v ATTORNEY.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO WASHINUTON, D, c.

F. H. L. KNABE. SAFETY DOOR FASTENBR. AYPLIOATION FILED APE.11, 1913.

1 087,590, Patented Feb. 17, 1914. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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NTOR. 1 WITNESSES H Freder fL/(nabe r l.fl 2 BY A 9&4 :7 5 M ATTORNEY.

STATES PAT SAFETY DOOR-FASTENER.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17,1914.

Application filed April 11, 1913. Serial N 0. 760,450.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK H. L. KNABE, citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Safety DoorFasteners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in safety door-fasteners; and it consists in the novel details of construction more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan of the fastener for a closed position of the door, the door and door-frame being in horizontal section; Fig. 2 is a similar view with door shown slightly ajar; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 4. is a horizontal cross-sectional detail on the line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig.

4: except that the cam has been rocked to a position corresponding to the right-hand dotted position of the slotted link in Fig] 1; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional detail on the line 66 of Fig. 3, the bell or annunciator being in elevation; Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional detail on the line 77 of Fig. 8; Fig. 8 is a similar section with the locking staple swung to releasing position; and Fig. 9 is a sectional detail on the line 99 of Fig. 3.

The object of my invention is to provide doors, and particularly the doors of dwellings, with a safety attachment which, while it will permit the door to be swung partly open, will hold the same against further movement and thus exclude from the room undesirable Or uninvited persons. Such a fastener is eminently serviceable on kitchen, hall and front doors of houses where fre quent occasions arise to open a door to answer door bells and where often strangers appear at the door who are not wanted in the house.

A further object is to provide a fastener which will operate without any special at tention on the part of the person opening the door, and with a minimum amount of handling; one which may be adjusted to serve as a lock against the possible opening or swinging of the door when the latter is once closed; and one possessing further and other advantages better apparent from a detailed description of the invention which is as follows:

Referring to the drawings, D represents a swinging door, and F the door frame or door-jamb, the usual door-knob and key lock being omitted from the illustration because well understood in the art. Secured to the frame F is a fitting or casting 1 provided with a pair of lugs or cars 2, 2, between which is pivoted (about a pin 3) a cam or block 4, the said block having a cam face a and a contiguous flat face 6 adapted to be engaged by a flexed spring 5 whose one end is fixed to the plate or fitting 1 between the outer portions of the lugs or ears 2, 2. To the cam block 4 is secured a link 6 which is nothing more than a steel bar bent U- shaped, the inner arm of the U being the shorter and forming with the outer or longer arm a slot 8 which is open at the end facing or adjacent to, the cam 4. The longer arm has a slight convexity outward, the arch of the convex portion being a short distance from the cam 4 (Fig. 1) and at said arch is secured or soldered the supporting arm or bracket 7 carrying an ordinary spring bell 8, (not claimed herein) the hammer of the bellbeing set into operation by an oscillating lever 9, a slight movement of which will instantly ring the bell. This form of hell is common on bicycles and well known in the art and requires no detailed description. Passed through the bracket 7 and the outer arm of the link 6 is an adjusting screw 10 for a purpose presently to appear (Figs. 3, 6). The link 6 is adapted to oscillate in a horizontal plane for a door swinging about a vertical axis of suspension which is the case in the present illustration, said link oscillating across the oint between the doorjamb and the free vertical edge of the door.

Secured to the door opposite the plate 1, is a plate or fitting 11 composed of two sections spaced apart, the sections being united by the ribs or wings 12, 12, which extend beyond the inner ends of the sections, their ends being united by a concaved hearing or bridge-piece 13, which, when the parts are finally and properly mounted comes opposite the adjusting screw 10. The members 1.1, 12, 1 :3, constitute one casting or member, and may (so far as my invention is concerned) assume some other form from that shown. hen the link 6 is swung across the joint between the door-jamb and door after the latter is closed, said link settles between the wings or ribs 12, 12, and may be locked against outward movement or oscillation by the staple-latch 1-1 which swings about the trunnions t mounted in the plate-sections 11, 11, and operating freely between them. To the arms of the sta ale is secured a U- shaped spring 15 the arms of which are convexed toward the plane of the arms of the staple (Figs. 7, 8), the staple automatically oscillating over the closed end of the link 6 when the latter is forced against the spring 15 in the operation of locking the link to the fitting carried by the door. To impart special resiliency to the spring 15 the arms thereof are preferably provided with coils h as shown.

The operation of the fastener is substantially a follows :Referrin g particularly to Figs. 1, 2, S and G, which show the door closed and the link 6 anchored or locked thereto (and to the fitting 11, 12) by the stz'rplc-latch 1&1; swung or passed over the free end of the link, it will be seen that a slight outwa (1 swing (a fraction of an inch) may be imparted to the door, owing to the play between the outer arm of the link and the bridge-piece or bearing 13, the amount of this play being determined by the adjusting screw 10, which in the illustration (Fig. 6) is shown out of engagement with the bearing. In this slight outward swing of the door (Fig. 2) the lever 9 is oscillated and the bell starts to ring. The occupant of the room thus knows that some one is trying to open the door, the bell affording a proper signal. for this purpose. The occupant of the room thereupon swings the staple 14 outwardly (see dotted position Fig. 1) thus freeing the link 6 and permitting the door to be swung open the full extent permitted by the link, the bearing 13 forcing the link outwardly and traversing the slot 8 until it settles at the outer closed end thereof when further movement of the bearing and of the door well as of the link) is arrested. in this outward swing of the link the cam 1- and link 6 are rocked to the dotted position shown in Fig. 5, or intermediate dot-ted line showing in 1, the spring 5 bearing against the cam-face a, (as opposed to the flat face I) which is engaged when the link is swung inwardly or against the door, Fig. 1). The door can open only a few inches as shown by the dotted position of the parts in Fig. 1; and should it be desired to close the door without moving the link this may readily be done, the bearing 13 describing the arcs e, e, and forcing the link to the right-hand dotted position shown in Fig. 1, in which posit-ion the link remains by virtue of the engagement of the spring 5 with the face a (Fig. 5) of the cam at. With a subsequent opening of the door the hearing 13 simply slips into the slot 8, the door opening until the part 18 reaches the end of the slot. Thus the door never can open beyond. the point where the bearing 13 reaches the end of the slot .9 in the link 6. To look the door, the operator first closes it, then oscillates the staple 1 1 outwardly (dotted position Fig. 1 or full illustration in Fig. 8), swings the link 6 across the joint between the door-jamb and door and against the spring 15, when the pressure against the spring will cause the staple to automatically close over the link (Figs. 1, 7), and the operation is completed. The degree to which it can afterward be pushed a-jar will depend on the adjustment of the screw 10. If the screw is driven tightly against the bearing 13 no movement can be imparted to the door; if a slight play is allowed (Fig. 6) sufficient movement may be imparted to the door as already described to start the bell. If the door i left open to the extentpermitted by the link, an outsider can pass his hand through the opening and can manually operate the lever 9 and ring the bell, thus calling the attention of the occupant to his presence. Should it be desired to swing the link 6 out of commission altogether, it may be swung against the door-frame as shown by the lefthand dotted position in Fig. 1. It may be added that the screw 10 performs the additional function of permitting careful adj ustment of the fittings to various doors, it being obvious that difierent spacing occurs between different doors and their frames.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combination with a door-frame, a swinging door, a rigid link pivotally secured to the frame and oscillating across the joint between the frame and the free edge of the door, the link having a slot open at the end adjacent its pivotal axis, a fitting on the door having a member traversing the slot of the link, and a hinged latch on said fitting operating to swing over the free end of the link for a closed position of the door whereby the link is secured to the fitting and the door is locked against any material opening movement.

2. In combination with a door-frame, a swinging door, a spring controlled cam pivoted to the frame, a rigid link secured to the cam and oscillating across the joint be tween the frame and free edge of the door, the link having a slot open at the end adj acent the cam, a fitting on the door having a between the parts to allow for a slight movemember traversing the slot of the link, a ment of the door.

spring controlled staple-latch hinged to said In testimony whereof I affix my signature, fitting and operating to engage the free end in presence of tWo witnesses.

of the link for a closed position of the door FREDERICK H. L. KNABE. whereby the link is secured to the fitting and Witnesses:

the door is locked against any material open- EMIL STAREK,

ing movement, there being a limited play FANNIE E. WEBER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

